The subject matter herein relates generally to connector assemblies, and more particularly, to connector assemblies that include mateable plug and receptacle connectors that are configured to prevent damage to the contacts held within one of the connectors during the mating and demating process.
Connector assemblies generally include two connectors, such as a plug and a receptacle, that are mated together. The receptacle includes a cavity that may have free-standing mating or pin contacts therein that are configured to engage with corresponding socket contacts when the plug is inserted into the receptacle. However, the cavity may have a size and shape that places the pin contacts at risk of being damaged from scooping. “Scooping” occurs when a shroud or another part of the plug connector shell is erroneously inserted into the cavity of the receptacle connector shell in a direction that is transverse to the appropriate loading direction. Scooping may also be caused by one of the walls of the plug connector shell sliding along the wall of the receptacle connector shell defining the cavity at a skewed angle to the loading direction. During scooping the plug connector shell may strike the exposed, free-standing pin contacts, which may cause permanent deformation such that the pin contacts may no longer be capable of forming a connection with the corresponding contacts in the plug connector. This damage can also be caused by the socket contact insert striking the exposed, free-standing pin contacts.
One known connector assembly that is configured to prevent scooping is described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,416,346 to Nakamura. The connector assembly includes a male housing having a hood member that is configured to receive a female housing having a hood member that is smaller than the male hood member. The female hood member includes ribs projecting outwardly therefrom that are configured to be inserted into grooves of the male hood member. The positions of the ribs and grooves prevent the housings from being fitted together in a misaligned manner. One problem with the connector assembly disclosed in the Nakamura patent is that the plug and receptacle connector housings need to be precisely aligned before the two are mated together.
Accordingly, there is a need for connector assemblies that prevent the mating contacts from being damaged when the connectors are mated or demated. A need also remains for connector assemblies that correct misalignment during mating.